“Ars longa, vita brevis” – art is long, life is short.
On March 28th, 2023, legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away after his struggle against cancer. In the years leading up to his death, Sakamoto could no longer perform live. Despite this, in late 2022, Sakamoto mustered all his energy to leave the world with one final performance: a concert film, featuring just him and his piano.
Curated by Sakamoto himself and presented in his chosen order, the 20 pieces performed in the film wordlessly narrate his life through his music. Featuring award-winning music from Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence and The Last Emperor, amongst other seminal scores and piano compositions, in his last performance. Filmed by his son, Neo Sora, Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus is a celebration of an artist’s life in the purest sense, the definitive swan song of the beloved maestro.